We left Montgomery early Saturday morning and set the cruise control for just under the speed limit. It seems that the local gendarmerie is using us motorists to supplement their budgets. We didnt want to give them a chance at our diving dollars, although some folks on the trip did.
Our favorite eatery in Bonifay has closed so we decided on lunch at Dees in Vernon. A grouper plate with onion rings proved tasty and we were on our way again. Its amazing what you notice on the roadside when you leave early and take your time. We always enjoy the wetlands with cypress trunks spread wide at the bottom, duckweed colored water, and water lilies in full bloom contrasting with snow white egrets waiting patiently for an unwary frog or fish.
We rode the Island Diver with only ten divers, found calm seas, great visibility, and although it was warm on the surface that aggravating thermocline hangs out again this year about ten feet above the bottom right where you want to see stuff.
Our first dive was Stage-One. There was no current and visibility on the bottom was the best I have ever seen at this site. From top of the rubble one could see a wide area of the bottom. We used a reel just in case and explored from one side to the other. We saw large flounder, blue gobies hovering above the sand and the usual cadre of large and friendly angelfish. Bottom time ran out all too soon.
We chose Bridge Span 14 for the night dive. The sunset faded behind clouds on the horizon and we missed the green flash. Visibility was so great that I held the ladder on the Island Diver and could clearly see the strobe on the anchor line. We saw a turban shell with its mantle spread wide, two cowries, flounder and a sassy octopus. A jewfish about a hundred pounds hung around underneath the bridge girders and wasnt shy at all. On ascent tiny sparks flew from my fingertips as bioluminescence danced in the dark.
We had dinner at Dock Hoppers. Still a class act with great service, friendly staff, and tasty food. I dont think I remember going to bed Saturday night but I do remember the early alarm on Sunday.
We headed out on the Captain Scuba II. The ride was noticeably bumpier than the Island Diver. For our first dive we chose Bridge Span 12 and a good choice it turned out to be. We ensured that all the new boat divers made it to the bottom and had a great time. The visibility must have been fifty feet. We went from one end of the span to the other. The roadbed here is largely covered with sand. There were flounder, thick schools of spadefish, and the bait fish were so thick they obscured visibility. Then another jewfish this one larger hammed it up for us, remora streaming from its belly. We found an anemone with a baitfish firmly in its tentacles.
We moved to the newest wreck in Panama City, the Red Sea. To tell the truth I didnt expect to see much since shes been down such a short time but this wreck is teeming with life. Once again the baitfish became a real pest. So thick that at times we couldnt even see the wreck. Jim found his first sand dollar. A silly remora went around the wheelhouse trying to attach to the boat. Baby filefish flittered around the railings and on top we found full grown Molly Millers. They jealously claimed their holes and flaunted candy striped cilia atop their heads. I still believe that blennies were placed on earth for the sole purpose of our entertainment. We had gas left and we had time left but we gave up the dive after fifty minutes out of courtesy. Divers from another boat joined us on the anchor line and it was a chore to convince them they were on the wrong boat.
The drive home with the cruise control set on the speed limit was sad but pleasant. We watched the sky flicker with lightening flashes far off to the west. Ate at Hungry Howies in Bonifay, looked at the weekends pictures on the laptop and generally enjoyed ourselves as the miles ticked off the new GPS.
Weekends with perfect conditions are indeed rare. We couldnt stop remembering the neat stuff we saw. Those thoughts only giving way to plans for next time.
Our favorite eatery in Bonifay has closed so we decided on lunch at Dees in Vernon. A grouper plate with onion rings proved tasty and we were on our way again. Its amazing what you notice on the roadside when you leave early and take your time. We always enjoy the wetlands with cypress trunks spread wide at the bottom, duckweed colored water, and water lilies in full bloom contrasting with snow white egrets waiting patiently for an unwary frog or fish.
We rode the Island Diver with only ten divers, found calm seas, great visibility, and although it was warm on the surface that aggravating thermocline hangs out again this year about ten feet above the bottom right where you want to see stuff.
Our first dive was Stage-One. There was no current and visibility on the bottom was the best I have ever seen at this site. From top of the rubble one could see a wide area of the bottom. We used a reel just in case and explored from one side to the other. We saw large flounder, blue gobies hovering above the sand and the usual cadre of large and friendly angelfish. Bottom time ran out all too soon.
We chose Bridge Span 14 for the night dive. The sunset faded behind clouds on the horizon and we missed the green flash. Visibility was so great that I held the ladder on the Island Diver and could clearly see the strobe on the anchor line. We saw a turban shell with its mantle spread wide, two cowries, flounder and a sassy octopus. A jewfish about a hundred pounds hung around underneath the bridge girders and wasnt shy at all. On ascent tiny sparks flew from my fingertips as bioluminescence danced in the dark.
We had dinner at Dock Hoppers. Still a class act with great service, friendly staff, and tasty food. I dont think I remember going to bed Saturday night but I do remember the early alarm on Sunday.
We headed out on the Captain Scuba II. The ride was noticeably bumpier than the Island Diver. For our first dive we chose Bridge Span 12 and a good choice it turned out to be. We ensured that all the new boat divers made it to the bottom and had a great time. The visibility must have been fifty feet. We went from one end of the span to the other. The roadbed here is largely covered with sand. There were flounder, thick schools of spadefish, and the bait fish were so thick they obscured visibility. Then another jewfish this one larger hammed it up for us, remora streaming from its belly. We found an anemone with a baitfish firmly in its tentacles.
We moved to the newest wreck in Panama City, the Red Sea. To tell the truth I didnt expect to see much since shes been down such a short time but this wreck is teeming with life. Once again the baitfish became a real pest. So thick that at times we couldnt even see the wreck. Jim found his first sand dollar. A silly remora went around the wheelhouse trying to attach to the boat. Baby filefish flittered around the railings and on top we found full grown Molly Millers. They jealously claimed their holes and flaunted candy striped cilia atop their heads. I still believe that blennies were placed on earth for the sole purpose of our entertainment. We had gas left and we had time left but we gave up the dive after fifty minutes out of courtesy. Divers from another boat joined us on the anchor line and it was a chore to convince them they were on the wrong boat.
The drive home with the cruise control set on the speed limit was sad but pleasant. We watched the sky flicker with lightening flashes far off to the west. Ate at Hungry Howies in Bonifay, looked at the weekends pictures on the laptop and generally enjoyed ourselves as the miles ticked off the new GPS.
Weekends with perfect conditions are indeed rare. We couldnt stop remembering the neat stuff we saw. Those thoughts only giving way to plans for next time.